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The Color White

Boonen in his final Paris-Roubaix

I saw the Black Crowes in concert some years ago, and as the band swung into their first number, Chris Robinson casually strolled onstage wearing head to toe white sequins. Later in the show, he remarked that nothing quite makes you feel like a virgin like wearing white.

The color white is indeed a bold statement. A white house declares to the neighborhood that the homeowners are committed to give nature the what-for and keep it pristine at all times. Similarly, the Cyclist who wears white declares that they are willing to take their chances against road grime, despite effectively turning themselves into a human mudflap.

White is like hanging a “Kick Me” sign on Nature.

I personally find it irresistible. White bar tape and socks, even on a bike I expect to get dirty, is a must. I do admit to going through phases where I’ll experiment with black or orange socks or bar tape like a temperamental tween experimenting with talking back to their parents. But I always find myself irrevocably drawn back to white.

When I was 13, I bought my first Selle San Marco Regal saddle in perforated white leather. (I promptly crashed on it). It matched my Scott Drop-Ins which were wrapped in white Benotto bar tape, as well as the white spatters on my early Nineties paintjob. It was many years later before I bought myself some White Ladies. And to be fair, as much as I love my Orange Damsels, there is nothing like a clean, white pair of socks matched to a clean, white pair of shoes. Just ask Tom Boonen.

White sunglasses are a must as well, and after a short foray from the path, I’m back on the white helmet program. White jerseys tend to look sharper than their dark counterparts (assuming your physical qualities don’t require the slimming effect of black.) I’m on a quest for a white bike, but people seem loathe to make me one, as they are apparently unlucky. (I’m going for the next best thing: silver sparkles.)

White is bold and requires a concerted effort to ensure one keeps it pristine, but it pays you back by Looking incomparably Fantastic. It seems the only place where white doesn’t look better is on bibshorts. Go figure.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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KogaLover says:

Jun 6 2017 at 11:54 pm

You got me worried there... But fortunately you did not go astray: "It seems the only place where white doesn’t look better is on bibshorts."
Joe Bloggs says:

Jun 7 2017 at 12:39 am

My #1 is a white 2003 Kona (but built with Italian tubing) and is in the process of a Group San to Gruppo metamorphosis. The red bar tape stays though.
RobSandy says:

Jun 7 2017 at 1:55 am

A timely article. I was just thinking about white.

I recently got some new White Ladies and picked up some of my favourite Goldilocks LG white socks on offer. I've got white Fizik tape on currently but am going to re-wrap with white Lizardskins (when I have time to experiment with slamming my stem and changing the angles of my bar and hoods).

I have also recently installed a white saddle, and bought a white helmet. My bike is mostly black so the white of the contact points looks pro, pro pro.

It's not the easiest choice of colour. It is the best choice of colour.
Rick says:

Jun 7 2017 at 5:30 am

It appears that Team Sky got the memo:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pinarello-produces-white-dogma-f10-for-team-sky-exclusive/

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-sky-unveil-white-jersey-for-tour-de-france/
wiscot says:

Jun 7 2017 at 6:33 am

How timely. After years of running black tape on my all-black #1, I just put white on it for the first time. Looks dandy. As for other things white, my sunnies are a 10 year old pair of white Serfas gregs. Love 'em. They've been superb and despite other sunnies being bought, these remain the first choice. Socks? Always, always, always short and white. Helmets? Various, but I have a few white ones that see regular action. Bibs? Just got a white pain but these may see late season action as I need to build up enough color on my legs to really justify them.Shoes? Two pairs of all black Shimanos, but other colors in the stable.
Teocalli says:

Jun 7 2017 at 6:42 am

Just the right tone of Antique White
chuckp says:

Jun 7 2017 at 9:07 am

@RobSandy

I recently got some new White Ladies and picked up some of my favourite Goldilocks LG white socks on offer. I’ve got white fi'zi:k tape on currently but am going to re-wrap with white Lizardskins (when I have time to experiment with slamming my stem and changing the angles of my bar and hoods).

I use Lizardskins bar tape and love it. But you should be aware that it gets dirty pretty easily and doesn't clean up very easily. I used to have black/white Lizardskins with the black above the hoods and the white below. I don't ride in the drops that often, but the white got pretty dingy and didn't clean up. Once the Lizardskins "absorbs" dirt/color, it's pretty much permanent. You can clean it up a little, but can't rid of it completely. My wife's green Lizardskins is dis-colored at all the contact points. Ditto for my pink (that replaced my black/white).

You can sort of see what I mean/am talking about in this pic that I originally posted in The Bikes.
chuckp says:

Jun 7 2017 at 9:18 am

@RobSandy

Here's a pic with my black/white Lizardskins. I know you can't really tell, but the white is more "off" white than "bright" white (which it was when it was new). I wanted some brightness/color for this riding season hence the current pink (most obviously, for the Giro, but real men wear/do pink), but may eventually (after this season) go back to the black/white colorway. Overall, it's a good look on my bike. Particularly with the white seatpost (3T Dorico Team).
Buck Rogers says:

Jun 7 2017 at 9:44 am

@Teocalli

Just the right tone of Antique White

Oh these are just lovely!!! Chapeau!

My 1985 Hinault Reynolds 753/Campag SR build is almost complete. I went with toe-clips even though Hinault used the first iteration of clipless that year because I want to ride it in the Eroica events and not have to deal with explaining the clipless timeline every time I show up.

Still pondering what shoes to buy for the '85 La Vie Claire team. Seems like each rider used a different type of shoe.
universo says:

Jun 7 2017 at 9:50 am

I definitely need to get back to Pinnacle Mtn -- and let me mention that Boyd Johnson is riding his annual birthday ride from Hincapie's Hotel Domestique this Sunday 9:00 -- going up Green River and across Pinnacle Mtn.